1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to a Fishing Apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for accommodating a plurality of fishing hooks to secure a number of fish at a single casting of the apparatus.
2. General Background
In the art of fishing, it is, of course, more efficient if the fisherman can simultaneously cast a number of lines for retrieval of a multiple number of fish during a given time span. Particularly in the art of commercial fishing, when not using a casting net or the like, it would be more commercially valuable if the commercial fisherman is able to recover a number of fish from a number of lines simultaneously without having to man a plurality of individual fishing lines cast off the side of the boat. The most efficient manner of accomplishing this would be to develop an apparatus or the like which would be able to accommodate a number of fishing lines over a given area with the apparatus wherein the apparatus could be retrieved as a whole, having secured thereonto a quantity of fish at one given time.
There have been attempts to construct such an apparatus, which have resulted in patents, the most pertinent being as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,700 issued to Pond entitled "Take Apart Fish Hook Or Lure Support," relates to the use of a multi-line fishing apparatus wherein a plurality of laterally directed wire arms are provided with a separate hook from a central support. The apparatus however fails to disclose the ability to spread into an open position upon reaching the bottom of the body of water for accommodating a greater number of hooks.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,196,472 issued to Moriarty entitled "Fishing Apparatus," relates to the use of plurality of fishing lines supported from a central post which would be embedded in a lake or river bottom. Although there is disclosed a plurality of lines from the laterally directed arms, the overall structure and operational features of the present invention are not disclosed in the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,730 issued to Karr entitled "Chum Rig For Fishing And Crabbing," also discloses a plurality of fishing lines from a centrally located post, which rests on the bottom of the river or lake and provides for multiple fish hooks.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,502 issued to Thomas entitled "Heavy Load Fishing Device," relates to the use of a line or rig which enables one to reel out a series of multiple fish hooks and lines from a single pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,792,658 issued to Stafford entitled "Fishing Apparatus," relates to a means for reeling a fishing line in and out having a plurality of hooks extending from the main line, and discloses the reeling means as a bicycle chain or the like and not the multiple fishing apparatus itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,998 issued to Groot entitled "Submersible Drag," relates to the use of an apparatus which discloses a series of hooks extending therefrom, for dragging it along the bottom and recovering items which may be sitting on the bottom of a river or lake.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,901 issued to Siuter entitled "Fish Attracting Device," relates to the use of a multiple fishing line having multiple fish lures hanging from a single line and does not relate particularly to the present apparatus.